Sons of Pro Golfers - did any of them ever match up to their father?

[Divot License]

I believe DJ's father was also a club pro. 

[sonnygolf]

If we are asking in Charlie will match his father the answer is no. But then again we never know. Much will be expected from him but forget golf - look at other sports good luck finding 0.1% of very succesful sports starts who's children match them or get anywhere close to them. Takes more than being a spawn of a great sports person. 

[dlygrisse]

Jack wasn’t happy about this cover. 
 

[Ferguson]

Fritz and Loren Roberts 

[jordan2240]

Was just thinking about this myself the other day after seeing the Tiger/Charlie vid as well.  David Duval was the only one I could think of who had a Dad who was a notable pro who also became a notable pro.  

[golfandfishing]

Brent Geiberger has 2 pga tour wins. I’m not sure I would have called his career “notable” but he played 10 years on the pga tour, got into the top 50 OWGR and those 2 wins - that is a better career than most players who have ever held a tour card. 

[MattyO1984]

On 11/28/2020 at 2:17 PM, mahonie said:

Percy and Peter Alliss...only father and son to play Ryder Cup.

 

Actually not quite. Antonio and Ignacio Garrido were a father son combo who both played in Ryder Cup’s.

[MattyO1984]

On 11/28/2020 at 2:17 PM, mahonie said:

Percy and Peter Alliss...only father and son to play Ryder Cup.

 

Actually not quite. Antonio and Ignacio Garrido were a father son combo who both played in Ryder Cup’s.

[FakeClubPro]

16 hours ago, dlygrisse said:

Jack wasn’t happy about this cover. 
 

Could he beat the old man sometimes?  What happened?    I know getting on the tour is amazingly hard.

[mahonie]

8 hours ago, MattyO1984 said:

 

Actually not quite. Antonio and Ignacio Garrido were a father son combo who both played in Ryder Cup’s.

Good call. Reminded me of Jose Maria and Alejandro Canizares another Spanish father-son combo and iirc 3 of Seve’s brothers were also pro golfers.

[farmer]

Jackie Burke Jr. His father was a teaching pro, but did have a 2nd in the US Open.

[dlygrisse]

Claude and Butch Harmon.  Claude won the Masters but Butchy got wealthy by teaching people how to win it.  

[dlygrisse]

On 11/30/2020 at 8:02 AM, FakeClubPro said:

Could he beat the old man sometimes?  What happened?    I know getting on the tour is amazingly hard.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Nicklaus

Edited December 2, 2020 by dlygrisse

[wrigley]

On 11/27/2020 at 6:46 PM, golfandfishing said:

Same for David Duval and dad Bob. 

IICR they both won on the same weekend.

[TLUBulldogGolf]

I thought of Dana and Brett Quigley but Brett didn't match what his dad uncle did. 

 

Edit: Dana wasn't his Dad

Edited December 2, 2020 by TLUBulldogGolf

[golfandfishing]

What about the Summerhays family?  Are all of these guys the sons and grandsons of Bruce?  Or are some nephews?

[jimbonecrusher]

On 11/27/2020 at 4:45 PM, golfandfishing said:

“Any other examples?  David Love III dad was a club pro but that does not really count.   Tommy Armour III?  Arnold's grandson Ryan?”

Arnold’s grandson who?

Isn't Sam Saunders the grandson of Arnie?

[golfandfishing]

5 minutes ago, jimbonecrusher said:

Isn't Sam Saunders the grandson of Arnie?

Yes. I believe the OP thinks Ryan Palmer is Arnold’s grandson though. 

[nsxguy]

On 11/29/2020 at 4:37 PM, sonnygolf said:

If we are asking in Charlie will match his father the answer is no. But then again we never know. Much will be expected from him but forget golf - look at other sports good luck finding 0.1% of very succesful sports starts who's children match them or get anywhere close to them. Takes more than being a spawn of a great sports person. 

 

While you're correct in that it takes more than having an athletic father there IS something to genetics, not to mention having a terrific teacher during your formative years.

 

And while there aren't many golfers eclipsing their dads there are plenty of team athletes who have.

 

Well, you said "very successful sports stars" so already we have a bit of a rabbit hole but,,,,,,,

 

Pat Mahomes is in his 3rd(?) year and already has eclipsed anything his dad did in baseball.

 

Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr, Peyton and Eli, Fernando Tatis Jr, after only 2 seasons, surely appears he will 

 

And these are only the few that leap to mind.

 

 

[Ironman_32]

1. PGA tour golfers are such a small percentage of all golfers, its hard to expect to see a "once in a generation" golfer, let alone a "once in a generation" golfer from the same family

2. Don't want to call it luck, but being historical on the PGA tour level is getting lucky by hitting the right shot at the right time. Take Bob Tway, 13 wins on tour. He's probably holed out a ton of bunker shots, just happened to do it at the right time in the right tournament. 

3. a lot of times the sons of these guys are getting into tournaments more on their name than on ability. I mean, they're good, but if you're Tour Player X, you prob have to work a little harder to get an exemption that say, Sam "Arnold Palmer's grandson" Saunders. Happens all the time though, look at Denzel Washington, his son is a good actor, but probably didn't have to struggle as much as Denzel did to get roles. 

[Golfjack]

12 hours ago, nsxguy said:

 

While you're correct in that it takes more than having an athletic father there IS something to genetics, not to mention having a terrific teacher during your formative years.

 

And while there aren't many golfers eclipsing their dads there are plenty of team athletes who have.

 

Well, you said "very successful sports stars" so already we have a bit of a rabbit hole but,,,,,,,

 

Pat Mahomes is in his 3rd(?) year and already has eclipsed anything his dad did in baseball.

 

Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr, Peyton and Eli, Fernando Tatis Jr, after only 2 seasons, surely appears he will 

 

And these are only the few that leap to mind.

 

 

Same for basketball.  Michael Jordan's sons were not even good college players.  Klay Thompson is I think better than his dad, although Mychal Thompson wasn't so shabby himself.  Steph Curry obviously better than Dell.  Clarence Witherspoon's son wasn't very good.  Scottie Pippen's son isn't that good.  DWade's son who knows.  Kobe was way better than his Dad.  Jerami Grant is about the same as his dad but worse than his uncle.  Even Lebron's son isn't ranked all that high.  Even with all the genetic lottery your parents gave you, it's no guarantee that they will make it to the top level.  Same for the PGA or most other sports. 

[chippa13]

On 12/2/2020 at 2:41 PM, Ironman_32 said:

1. PGA tour golfers are such a small percentage of all golfers, its hard to expect to see a "once in a generation" golfer, let alone a "once in a generation" golfer from the same family

2. Don't want to call it luck, but being historical on the PGA tour level is getting lucky by hitting the right shot at the right time. Take Bob Tway, 13 wins on tour. He's probably holed out a ton of bunker shots, just happened to do it at the right time in the right tournament. 

3. a lot of times the sons of these guys are getting into tournaments more on their name than on ability. I mean, they're good, but if you're Tour Player X, you prob have to work a little harder to get an exemption that say, Sam "Arnold Palmer's grandson" Saunders. Happens all the time though, look at Denzel Washington, his son is a good actor, but probably didn't have to struggle as much as Denzel did to get roles. 

And they have the inside track on the best instructors and development arenas. A similar thing is happening with second generation NHLers. It is still a tough hill to climb but they're getting a nudge.

[Ironman_32]

14 hours ago, chippa13 said:

And they have the inside track on the best instructors and development arenas. A similar thing is happening with second generation NHLers. It is still a tough hill to climb but they're getting a nudge.

Agreed, its so slim in most of these sports that you need all the help you can get, but you need all the drive. 

 

Take Tiger, think of how hard he fought to save 1 stroke at times. Not saying Charlie doesn't have that, or won't have that, but its a little different when more is given to you. 

[Fairway14]

5 minutes ago, Ironman_32 said:

, but its a little different when more is given to you. 

 

A lot different.

[FakeClubPro]

Anyone know how long Little John is off the tee?   As John said he grew up.   Who are the coaches at bishops Gate?  Is it near Carnoutsie?

 

 

[stingerfade]

On 11/28/2020 at 10:47 AM, Nels55 said:

Arnold Palmer.

His dad was the greenskeeper not the pro 

[SkiSchoolPro]

Guy Boros wasn't as good as Julius, but he did have a victory.

Edited December 5, 2020 by SkiSchoolPro

[Nels55]

4 hours ago, stingerfade said:

His dad was the greenskeeper not the pro 

Where do you get that idea from?  Deacon was the head pro in addition to running the entire operation at Latrobe.  He became the head pro in 1931.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/152963702/milfred-jerome-palmer

[grm24]

On 12/2/2020 at 2:41 PM, Ironman_32 said:

3. a lot of times the sons of these guys are getting into tournaments more on their name than on ability.

Dru Love is a perfect example of this. Being DL3's son has helped him get plenty of PGA Tour exemptions. His results are not good at all. On any tour he has played on.

Edited December 6, 2020 by grm24

[SkiSchoolPro]

17 hours ago, Nels55 said:

Where do you get that idea from?  Deacon was the head pro in addition to running the entire operation at Latrobe.  He became the head pro in 1931.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/152963702/milfred-jerome-palmer

Probably the tractor in the motor oil commercial Palmer did??